"Public sociologies, public geographies?"

 

RGS-IBG Annual International Conference, 30 August - 1st September 2006

Royal Geographical Society with IBG, London

 

Two sessions sponsored by the Social and Cultural Geography Research Group

 

Convenors: Ian Cook, Jason Chilvers, Helen Griffiths (University of Birmingham)

 

For the past two years, ASA President Michael Burawoy (2004) has been arguing for a reinvigorated 'public sociology' which "engages publics beyond the academy in dialogues about matters of political and moral concern" (1607). These arguments are echoed in Anthropology and Archaeology. In each discipline, proponents are delving into disciplinary histories for inspiration, and into pressing contemporary issues where their work can make a difference. They talk about collaboration, empowerment, social and economic justice, inclusion, participation, re-connection, cosmopolitics and ethics of care in relation to the everyday lives of a variety of publics (e.g. in education, politics, healthcare, NGOs, the 'street'). They discuss how fully collaborative, empowering, etc. such work can be through the many stages of research - from initial ideas to 'dissemination' and after - and what combination of 'publics' need to be involved along the way. New 'public geographies' are developing along these lines. The two sessions will map out this new terrain by discussing issues such as:

- genealogies of public geographies

- ethics, morality & justice of public geographical practice

- new relations between theory, practice and academic expression

- politics/theory for radical/relevant/public geographies

- expressing ourselves/others academically, accessibly & collaboratively

- academic expertise in public collaboration

- disciplinary hierarchies & theoretical/applied research

And illustrating researchers' experiences of:

- co-researching, co-authoring public geographic knowledges

- researchers and/or publics as geographical experts?

- shaping and/or projecting public geographic knowledges?

- popular/academic communication throughout the research process

- communication through writing/video/art/journalism/post/etc.

- empowerment, justice, inclusion... in practice?

- becoming a public geographer: accident and design.

 

Paper proposals, in the form of a 200 word abstract (using the IBG form - http://www.rgs.org/pdf/AC2006%20Abstract%20submission%20form.doc), should be submitted to the session convenors by 20th January 2006.  Please email Ian Cook ([log in to unmask]) to submit an abstract or if you have any questions about the session.

 

Full proposals of papers must be submitted to the RGS-IBG by 31 January 2006 using the Abstract Submission Form at: http://www.rgs.org/AC2006.